Meirion Evans Cefn Gwlad

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-The Welsh cob is unique to Wales.

-It's a strong horse,

-full of spirit and character.

-It was the backbone

-of agriculture...

-..drawing the plough,

-taking the farmer to market...

-..or ferrying the family

-to the Sunday service.

-We owe a huge debt

-to the Welsh cob.

-I'm on Gwynfaes farm

-in Hermon, Carmarthenshire.

-It's the home of true Welsh cobs.

-It's also home to Meirion Evans,

-his wife, Diane, and his son, Caleb.

-They specialize in Welsh cobs.

-If I named just one,

-Gwynfaes Culhwch...

-..you'd know exactly where I am.

-The Section D Welsh cob stallion.

-There's a special celebration

-taking place here.

-When that happens,

-I try to be around.

-I hope Meirion's up there somewhere.

-This is where you are, Meirion.

-The old horse is looking good.

-He's keeping quite well.

-He's keeping quite well.

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-How old is he now?

-He's 20 this year.

-He's 20 this year.

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-Is he?

-He's a nice horse

-with a good base.

-He's not bad all over.

-My grandfather always said

-you need good legs and clean hocks.

-He's made his mark as a sire.

-Oh, yes.

-He won the Prince of Wales in 2002.

-He's gone on to be a good stallion,

-producing good stock.

-There are a lot about,

-horses that he's sired.

-Yes, he's done very well.

-Three of them have won gold medals

-at the Royal Welsh.

-You use just AI, do you?

-Yes, for about nine years.

-Yes, for about nine years.

-

-Nine years?

-He hasn't been near a mare

-for nine years.

-It means he can be more productive.

-He's an exceptional animal.

-He does go out.

-We've got a paddock up top

-and he's been out there.

-But he comes out here every day.

-He can move,

-his action is incredible.

-We'll have a look at his offspring.

-My grandfather set great stock

-in a good tail set on a horse.

-He's 20 years old,

-and his back end is still right.

-Small ears.

-Everything Dad-cu said,

-I hope he has them.

-Is this a son of his?

-Is this a son of his?

-

-Yes, one of them.

-This is one of eight

-full brothers or sisters.

-One mare we have

-has had eight foals out of Culhwch.

-They all bear the name Gwledig.

-Macsen Wledig,

-Cyleddon Wledig, Cynan Wledig...

-..Seren Wledig,

-which won at Lampeter.

-That's up with Dorian and Michelle.

-Having the right names

-on the horses...

-..means so much, doesn't it?

-The English

-may have trouble saying them...

-..but they still buy them.

-It's lovely to have that name,

-like the princes of Wales.

-Of course.

-Whoa, whoa.

-You don't want too many foals.

-No, I usually stick at four now.

-We once had as many as ten a year.

-No, I don't want...

-To be honest, we only have

-ones that match Culhwch now.

-You don't want to sell them,

-you want people to covet them.

-Three or four is no problem,

-the demand is high enough.

-There's something

-about a cob's head.

-There's no other horse like it.

-There'll be no show without these.

-There'll be no show without these.

-

-No, there won't.

-People come

-from all over the world.

-It doesn't matter where in the world

-these horses go...

-..the people who understand

-the breed are in Wales.

-Yes, that's right.

-You can take him for a run now.

-You can take him for a run now.

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-Right.

-For me, that's the benefit of AI.

-When Culhwch was in his prime,

-he'd cover four or five mares a day.

-We had to start early

-with a proven mare.

-In a couple of hours,

-we'd try other mares.

-Now, I collect the semen

-in the morning.

-If we have four mares to cover,

-I divide the semen by four.

-Every mare gets semen

-of the same quality.

-There are no negatives.

-He doesn't go

-from one mare to another.

-No germs are transferred,

-and we use new liners each time.

-Hygiene is inherent in the system,

-no germs are transferred.

-We don't know what mares come here.

-You're in here.

-Yes, that's right.

-I put a filter

-in this bottle here.

-This then goes into this as a liner,

-to keep things clean.

-I'll use tape to be safe,

-in case the pressure gets too high.

-And you do it all here on the farm?

-Oh, yes.

-I went on a course at Twemlows Hall.

-A two-day course.

-I've done it with cattle,

-and this is much easier.

-This goes in here.

-I saw the boys

-at Twemlows collecting.

-It was a two-man job.

-I thought there must be a dummy...

-..that I could operate by myself.

-I put this around there.

-This holds it in place...

-..so that it doesn't come off.

-And you get pretty good results?

-And you get pretty good results?

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-Yes, pretty good.

-Some need repeats.

-This mare is repeating this year...

-..but as a rule, it's as effective

-as actually covering a mare.

-Water goes into this

-to keep it warm...

-..so that he doesn't feel cold.

-Now, we can collect the semen...

-..when he's at his best.

-I collect every other day at most.

-A mare is being done today,

-then I might leave it.

-I feel Culhwch gets more peace,

-that there's less strain on him.

-You feel that the horse is happier.

-One or two mares would be fine,

-he'd come out jumping and prancing.

-I don't want to overwork him,

-because he's a popular horse.

-But a few mares come,

-and the strain was greater.

-This way, we hope to get

-one or two extra years out of him.

-If you have a quality horse...

-..you expect him to reproduce

-the strong traits in his character.

-In Culhwch's case,

-his action, the quality in his legs.

-Because it's in him...

-Culhwch is a horse that can move.

-It's in his blood.

-It's in Culhwch...

-..and that's why so many

-of his progeny move as they do.

-There it is.

-The semen is down there.

-This is gel.

-It won't go through the filter.

-It's like jelly.

-It's like jelly.

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-A hundred mill?!

-Is that enough for two mares?

-Is that enough for two mares?

-

-It's enough for five mares.

-Tell me, how long will this last

-before it's used on a mare?

-Even like this,

-it'll be OK for an hour.

-If we store it in a cool box...

-..with what's called an extender

-on top of it...

-..and ice packs around it...

-They cool it, and the semen

-goes to sleep, it slows down.

-They use less energy,

-they stay alive, because they go...

-Yes, I've seen them on a plate.

-When they're inseminated,

-they warm up and perk up.

-A lot of the sperm are still alive.

-A lot of the sperm are still alive.

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-Do you inseminate them?

-Yes, I'll be doing it now

-with the repeat mare.

-Hold on and I'll do it now.

-Hold on and I'll do it now.

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-You learn something every day.

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-This is the story

-of a stunning stallion.

-Gwynfaes Culhwch.

-He has topped the sire ratings

-for ten consecutive years.

-It's some achievement

-by Meirion Gwynfaes' Welsh cob.

-He's a breeder who does it all,

-from AI to feeding.

-You hold this, right.

-Whoa, girl.

-Whoa, girl.

-Hold her tail now, on the top there.

-Don't get your hand close.

-OTHER HORSES WHINNY

-They know what's going on.

-I can feel that the cervix

-is open ready, so no problem.

-I'll push in about two inches.

-Right, here we are.

-Out it comes, empty.

-It's important to withdraw slowly.

-If I withdraw too quickly,

-it creates a vacuum.

-Fair play, you've taught me the art.

-I've been doing it for years now.

-All I can hope is that you get one

-as pretty as the one she has now.

-I'm hoping so too.

-A few like that one.

-There we are, all clean and tidy.

-If someone has phoned wanting one...

-..I'll take it out of this

-and keep it in the cool box.

-It'll do more than one mare.

-They'll be in heat for five days,

-and the fourth day is best.

-If you know when they're coming in,

-the fourth day is best.

-They ovulate in 24 hours after that.

-They ovulate in 24 hours after that.

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-What if you feel they need more?

-I give them more.

-Mares come here, and neither I

-or the owner know when they came on.

-I might insert a syringe

-as a little banker, you know.

-Then I'll keep trying

-every other day.

-That's how I do it.

-I'm not saying it's perfect,

-but it does work.

-If it wasn't

-for health and safety...

-I have taken the stuff

-in a bottle before now...

-..and done it in the field,

-but never with a mare I don't know.

-I know my own mares.

-I know which ones.

-I know which ones.

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-Think how a lot of these boys are.

-It's nothing for them

-to take a mare...

-..from the Vale of Glamorgan

-up to Anglesey or England.

-I've posted semen to Scotland...

-..and it's there

-by nine the next morning.

-It's amazing

-how small Britain is by post.

-Meirion's grandfather

-was a big influence on him.

-He admired him greatly.

-He still influences him today

-in his way with horses.

-Dad-cu was a big horse man.

-Having spent over 20 years with him,

-I hope I learnt something from him.

-You've learnt from someone.

-He was a great man.

-I went to school in Llandysul.

-But I was never there

-on the last Thursday of a month.

-I was at Llanybydder mart.

-With the data in schools today,

-they'd have soon found out...

-..that I was always absent

-on the last Thursday.

-But I was starting to learn.

-So, it was your grandfather

-who made you such a fan of the cobs?

-Oh, yes, totally. No-one else.

-No-one else.

-He was a horse man.

-In Llanybydder,

-he'd go in among the horses.

-He wouldn't look from afar.

-In he'd go, among the foals

-and colts, lifting their tails...

-..to check that the joints

-and hind legs were right.

-He always looked down,

-not up at the head.

-If the head was good, fine.

-But without good legs, forget it.

-Forget it.

-He wanted clean joints and quality.

-Make sure they have

-a good head and tail carriage.

-That the rear was right, every time.

-That was his advice.

-It's brought you

-the Prince of Wales Cup...

-..and many other prizes.

-But I understand that the prize

-you value highest of all...

-..is that Culhwch has made

-such an impression on the breed.

-Oh, yes.

-For him to go on

-and top the sire ratings...

-..for ten years in a row

-is incredible.

-You'll never do it

-with just your own horses.

-It takes several foals

-before you can challenge for it.

-You won't win it

-with one horse, one foal.

-I'd say that between 16 and 20...

-..of Culhwch's progeny

-are shown every year.

-That's why he's lauded.

-This is the first year

-that I've considered it.

-He's reached a milestone,

-he's done it, a decade.

-When he won it for the third year,

-I had a dream.

-That the ring at the Royal Welsh

-was full of Culhwch's progeny.

-I had that dream.

-I kept it to myself

-and didn't say anything for years.

-When he had topped the ratings

-for seven, eight years...

-..I thought about gathering

-his progeny in one place.

-I decided to do it

-at Carmarthen showground.

-The facilities are great,

-and I think we have over 50 coming.

-People are coming

-from all over the world.

-It's good for Wales, isn't it?

-It's good for Wales, isn't it?

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-Of course it is.

-They're coming one by one now,

-then we've got a couple of groups.

-Full siblings.

-Then they'll all come in together,

-and Culhwch will come in at the end.

-Culhwch's progeny

-have gone all over the world.

-Yes, it has.

-We decided to take his semen

-when he was fairly young.

-We sent some

-to Australia, America...

-..and New Zealand.

-As a result,

-foals of his have been born there.

-They create interest,

-and they've come over.

-What part of the world are you from?

-What part of the world are you from?

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-Indiana, USA.

-Is that right?

-Obviously,

-you have the breeding over there.

-I have three Culhwch foals.

-What size stud of cobs

-have you as a family?

-We probably have 16.

-What brought you first here?

-Just reading about the cobs?

-Just reading about the cobs?

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-I went to a show in Missouri, USA.

-Meirion was judging.

-Culhwch had just won at Lampeter,

-as a three-year-old, I believe.

-He brought a video, and I said...

-.."That's what I want

-in my breeding programmes."

-I have two more ladies from abroad.

-Ladies, what country are you from?

-Ladies, what country are you from?

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-New Zealand.

-Really? You've come a fair way.

-Really? You've come a fair way.

-

-Yes!

-How many cobs have you over there?

-How many cobs have you over there?

-

-I've got five.

-What country are you from?

-What country are you from?

-

-I'm from Australia.

-Do you show the cobs at all?

-We show them at home.

-We breed them,

-show them and event them.

-Harness and dressage and everything.

-What do you like about them?

-What attracted you?

-For me, they're incredibly loyal,

-sensitive but sensible.

-I just love them.

-I wish everyone would ride them.

-You don't have to work them

-all the time.

-They're wonderful animals to ride.

-The atmosphere when you see them

-at the Royal Welsh as well.

-You can't do anything

-but fall in love with that.

-The Royal Welsh Wednesday

-is one sacred day...

-..for us as a nation

-and the world as horse lovers.

-There's nothing in the world

-like it, nothing I've ever seen.

-Melbourne Cup, maybe, in Australia.

-Stick to maybe!

-It's wonderful to have

-an afternoon like this...

-..in the county where he was bred.

-These people who come from abroad.

-Do they call to see

-the progeny you have at home?

-No messing, no messing.

-They've travelled so far.

-I'd never go as far

-as some of these have done.

-They think the world

-of Culhwch, to be honest.

-They've made an incredible effort

-to get here.

-I'm trying to show a horse

-from rural Carmarthenshire...

-..how far he's gone

-and how much one horse has achieved.

-That's Culhwch's strength.

-What he has given back to the breed.

-Many horses have beaten him...

-..but they haven't given back

-the quality he has to the breed.

-Did it ever cross your mind...

-Did you ever get an offer?

-Would you have sold him?

-Yes, well, I did get an offer.

-No, not an offer.

-I'll tell you what happened.

-John Williams Crug-y-bar

-wanted to come down to see him.

-He wanted to buy him.

-I didn't really want

-to keep a stallion.

-I told him to come down.

-Culhwch was the type of foal

-who was never with his mother.

-He was nosing around

-or standing by the gate.

-Never with his mother.

-I've got a similar filly this year,

-she goes where she pleases.

-He'd stand there, with his tail up.

-We went down

-and Culhwch was laying there.

-I told John, "Get him to stand,"

-so that he was seen at his best.

-"Get him to stand."

-He stood...

-..like a calf, head down.

-I thought, what's up with him?

-"No, I think I'll leave him,"

-said John.

-It didn't surprise me

-because he wasn't showing at all.

-The next day, he was like a bird.

-It's as if he was meant to be here,

-and he's been here ever since.

-I've got one more question for you.

-I'd think that you live

-what is the ideal life for you.

-Horses that you've bred yourself.

-You do everything for them.

-They're an integral part

-of your life.

-Are you happy to carry on

-come what may?

-Oh, yes.

-Try to keep doing your own thing.

-Be happy in your own skin.

-I'm a firm believer in that.

-Look over the stable door

-and be happy with what's in there.

-Don't look at the cups

-in the trophy cabinet.

-If you're happy

-with what's in your stable...

-..you'll keep going.

-Myself, I smile by the stable door,

-not by the door of the cabinet.

-I'll take that

-as a prophet's prayer.

-That's how I am, anyway.

-Whenever I see Culhwch,

-he brings a smile to my face.

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